Tuesday, June 29, 2010

Here is how you don't lose your pregnancy weight, in case you have been searching for a way to do that. Keep an eye out for some more recipes like this. Like maple pecan sticky buns and buttermilk biscuits with fresh raspberry butter. You know me, always looking out for you and your stretch marks and over-sized rear.

Jack and his neighbor friend came busting through the door a week ago asking for a party. They wanted streamers, music and cupcakes. My two V children were napping, so I obliged. I had actually been looking for an excuse to use my new piping tips I found at Sur La Table in Salt Lake City. I used my favorite chocolate cake recipe, Auntie Shar's. And turns out the piping tips worked like magic, bakery magic. Don't these little cuppiecakes look perfect? The raspberry adds not only a nice look, but an excellent taste, especially with the little cupcakes. With the little cupcakes, my mouth is big enough to eat the whole thing in one bite (lucky me). So it's cake, frosting and a tart raspberry in one. It's ambrosial.

If you want to make these in smaller pans for smaller cupcakes, the batter will make approximately 48 little cupcakes. The bake time is about 10 minutes. After I made the little ones, I kept thinking how adorable these would be at a baby or bridal shower.

In a medium bowl, combine flour, baking soda, salt and cocoa powder. Whisk to combine and set aside. In a large bowl, combine eggs, sugar and oil and beat with a hand mixer. Alternating with boiling water, add flour mixture in 3 additions. Stir in vanilla.

Divide between muffin tins. Bake for 15 minutes, or until an inserted toothpick comes out clean. Cool completely and pipe frosting on top.

Combine butter, cocoa powder and powdered sugar and mix until butter is smooth. Add milk and vanilla. Adjust with more milk or powdered sugar if needed.

Yields 24 regular-sized cupcakes.

Rookie's Notes: I figured out the trick to using cocoa powder in frosting and it being completely smooth. Sift the cocoa powder. I know, such an obvious thing, but sometimes I am a little slow on the uptake.

You know what is ambrosial? The chocolate raspberry jam I sampled at my local farmer's market today. Oh. Yes. I was rushed on by my three impatient children & husband, but I will be back to indulge in a jar. Or two.